Gang rape protesters clash with Indian police

Updated 7:56 am, Monday, December 24, 2012

Indian police use water cannon to disperse protesters demonstrating against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The attack last Sunday has sparked days of protests across the country. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

Indian police use water cannon to disperse protesters demonstrating...

Indian police use water cannon to disperse protesters demonstrating against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The attack last Sunday has sparked days of protests across the country. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

Indian police use water cannon to disperse protesters demonstrating...

Indian protesters shout slogans as policemen use water cannon to disperse those demonstrating against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The attack last Sunday has sparked days of protests across the country. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

Indian protesters shout slogans as policemen use water cannon to...

Indian police try to stop women protesters demonstrating against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The attack last Sunday has sparked days of protests across the country. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

Indian police try to stop women protesters demonstrating against a...

An Indian policeman baton charges to disperse protesters demonstrating against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The attack last Sunday has sparked days of protests across the country. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

An Indian policeman baton charges to disperse protesters...

An Indian policeman baton charges to disperse protesters demonstrating against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The attack last Sunday has sparked days of protests across the country. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

An Indian policeman baton charges to disperse protesters...

Indian police use water cannon to disperse protesters demonstrating against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The attack last Sunday has sparked days of protests across the country. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

Indian police use water cannon to disperse protesters demonstrating...

NEW DELHI — Police in India's capital used tear gas and water cannons for a second day Sunday in a high-security zone to break up protests by thousands of people demonstrating against the gang rape and beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus.

Police chased angry protesters with batons some of whom fought pitched battles with steel rods and rocks as they tried to get past steel barricades and a wall created by hundreds of policemen to reach the president's mansion to present their demands. "We want justice," they shouted.

The demonstrations continued Sunday despite Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde promising to consider their main demand for death penalties for all six suspects who have been arrested by police following the Dec. 16 attack.

Shinde said Saturday night that the government was taking steps to better ensure the safety of women.